Refrigerator

ABSTRACT

A door driving system and a refrigerator having the door driving system according to the present invention are provided with a motor, a power transmitting device for transmitting the power generated by the motor to the hinge, and an auxiliary device for receiving the power generated by the motor and generating an auxiliary force to move a door positioned in a closing position in an opening direction, so that the torque to be applied to the hinge of the door for opening and closing the door may be reduced.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.17/463,351 filed on Aug. 31, 2021, which is a continuation of U.S.patent application Ser. No. 16/083,478 filed on Sep. 7, 2018, now U.S.Pat. No. 11,112,170 issued Sep. 7, 2021, which is a 371 of InternationalApplication No. PCT/KR2017/002429 filed on Mar. 7, 2017, which claimspriority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2016-043393 filed on Mar. 7,2016 and Japanese Patent Application No. 2016-119511 filed on Jun. 16,2016, the disclosures of which are herein incorporated by reference intheir entirety.

BACKGROUND 1. Field

The disclosure relates to a refrigerator having a door driving deviceused for opening and closing a door of the refrigerator and a camera.

2. Description of Related Art

In the conventional technology, there is a refrigerator having aphotographing device for photographing the inside of the refrigeratorsuch that the internal storage state of the refrigerator is confirmedeven in a remote place.

More specifically, the photographing device is a camera installed insidea door of the refrigerator, and is configured to receive an instructionfrom the outside in a state where the door is closed and photograph theinside of the refrigerator.

However, in such a configuration, since the inside of the refrigeratoris photographed while the door is closed, the distance between a storedobject and the camera is relatively close when the stored object isplaced at a front area inside the refrigerator such that there is aproblem that the focus may not be properly adjusted and the camera maynot photograph the stored object.

In addition, when photographing a storage pocket, the user needs to openboth doors, so that when the user is away from the refrigerator, forexample, when going out, the storage pocket may not be photographed andthe storage state at that time may not be confirmed.

SUMMARY

It is an aspect of the disclosure to provide a refrigerator capable oftaking a photograph of a stored object in the refrigerator clearly andphotographing the stored object in a storage pocket even when the useris far away from the refrigerator.

In accordance with one aspect of the disclosure, a refrigerator includesa housing having a storage chamber, a door having the inside facing thestorage chamber and opens and closes the storage chamber, a drivingdevice for transmitting power to the door for automatically opening andclosing the door, and a photographing device disposed in the door andphotographing at least one of the storage chamber or the inside of thedoor when the door is opened by the driving device.

Also, the door includes a first door and a second door provided in aleft-right direction with respect to the storage chamber, and thephotographing device includes a first camera disposed on the first doorand a second camera disposed on the second door, and the first cameraphotographs the inside of the second door when the second door is openedby the driving device.

Also, the door includes a first door and a second door provided in aleft-right direction with respect to the storage chamber, and thephotographing device includes a first camera disposed on the first doorand a second camera disposed on the second door, and the first cameraphotographs the storage chamber when the first door is opened by thedriving device.

Also, the door includes a first door and a second door provided in aleft-right direction with respect to the storage chamber, and thephotographing device includes a first camera disposed on the first doorand a second camera disposed on the second door, and the first cameraphotographs at least one of the inside of the second door or the storagechamber when the first door and the second door are opened by thedriving device.

Also, the driving device is provided to open the first door afteropening the second door, and the first camera photographs the inside ofthe second door at a first position where the first door is opened andpositioned by the driving device.

Also, the driving device is provided to dispose the first door at asecond position located between a closed position where the first doorcloses the storage chamber and the first position, and the first cameraphotographs the storage room when the first door is positioned in thesecond position.

Also, the driving device is provided to dispose the second door at athird position in which the second door is opened, and the second cameraphotographs the inside of the first door when the second door isdisposed in the third position and when the first door is disposedadjacent to the first position.

Also, the driving device is provided to dispose the second door at afourth position located between the closed position where the seconddoor closes the storage chamber and the third position, and the secondcamera photographs the storage room when the second door is placed inthe fourth position.

Also, the refrigerator further includes an information processing devicefor receiving the photographed information from the photographingdevice, and the information processing device combines the photographedinformation which are information that photographed by the first camerawhere the first camera disposed in the first position and secondposition respectively, and that photographed by the second camera wherethe first camera disposed in the third position and fourth positionrespectively to form one image.

Also, the refrigerator further includes an information processing devicefor receiving the photographed information from the photographingdevice, and the information processing device selects optimalinformation corresponding to the inside of the storage chamber or thedoor among the information, and transmits at least one piece ofinformation or the optimum information to the outside of therefrigerator.

Also, the information processing device includes a receiver forreceiving an external signal, a driving device controller forcontrolling the driving device based on a signal input from thereceiver, and a photographing device controller for controlling thephotographing device based on the signal input from the receiver, andafter the photographing device is driven at the first position, thedriving device controller further opens or closes the door so that thephotographing device is disposed at the second position by an externalsignal received by the receiver, and the photographing device controllerdrives the photographing device when the photographing device isdisposed at the second position.

Also, the photographing device includes a first photographing devicedisposed on the door and a second photographing device disposed on thehousing, and the second photographing device photographs the inside ofthe door when the door is opened by the driving device.

Also, the first photographing device photographs the storage chamberwhen the door is opened by the driving device.

Also, the refrigerator further includes a hinge that rotatably couplesthe door to the housing, and the door further includes a throat portionprotruding outward from the inside of the door and a storage pocketmounted to the throat portion, and the photographing device is disposedon a side of the throat portion adjacent to the hinge.

Also, the refrigerator further includes a hinge that rotatably couplesthe door to the housing, and the door further includes a throat portionprotruding outward from the inside of the door and a storage pocketmounted to the throat portion, and the first photographing device isdisposed on a side of the throat portion adjacent to the hinge, and thesecond photographing device is disposed on an opposite side of thehinge.

In accordance with one aspect of the disclosure, it is possible toclearly capture the objects housed in the refrigerator or the storagepocket of the door, so that the housed state of the refrigerator may beconfirmed even when the user goes out.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a view schematically illustrating a configuration of arefrigerator according to a first embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a view schematically illustrating a configuration of aphotographing apparatus according the first embodiment of thedisclosure.

FIG. 3 is a view for explaining an angle of view of a camera bodyaccording to the first embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a view schematically illustrating a configuration of a drivemechanism of the first embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a view schematically illustrating a configuration of a drivingdevice according to the first embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 6 is a view schematically illustrating a configuration of a movingdevice according to the first embodiment of the disclosure.

FIGS. 7 a and 7 b are views schematically illustrating an operation ofthe moving device according to the first embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 8 is a functional block diagram illustrating functions of aninformation processing device according to the first embodiment of thedisclosure.

FIGS. 9 a, 9 b, 9 c, and 9 d are views schematically illustrating anoperation of the refrigerator of the first embodiment of the disclosure.

FIGS. 10 a, 10 b, 10 c, and 10 d are views schematically illustrating anoperation of the refrigerator of the first embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 11 is a view schematically illustrating a vertical viewing angle ofa photographing device according to the first embodiment of thedisclosure.

FIG. 12 is a view schematically illustrating processing of photographicdata by the information processing device according to the firstembodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 13 is a view schematically illustrating an image transmitted by theinformation processing device according to the first embodiment of thedisclosure.

FIG. 14 is a view schematically illustrating a configuration of arefrigerator according to a second embodiment of the disclosure.

FIGS. 15 a and 15 b are views schematically illustrating an operation ofthe refrigerator according to the second embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 16 is a view schematically illustrating a configuration of arefrigerator according to another embodiment of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Hereinafter, an air cleaner according to one embodiment will bedescribed in detail with reference to the drawings.

First Embodiment

Hereinafter, a first embodiment of a refrigerator according to thedisclosure will be described with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1 , a refrigerator R according to the disclosureincludes a refrigerator main body H (hereinafter also referred to as acase H) having an open front side, having a pair of doors D installed onthe open front side is a so-called two-door refrigerator each door D isrotatably supported on a hinge axis of a hinge Z.

As shown in FIG. 1 , the refrigerator R is provided with a photographingdevice 10 installed inside the refrigerator on each of the right andleft doors D and a door D provided at the upper portion of each of theright and left doors D, and provided with a driving device 20 forautomatically opening and closing the door.

First, the photographing device 10 will be described.

As shown in FIG. 2 , the photographing device 10 has a casing 11 and acamera body (not shown) housed in the casing 11. Here, a storage pocketP is provided in the door D is provided.

The refrigerator R of the present disclosure is provided with aplurality of the photographing devices 10 installed at differentpositions on the upper and lower sides and each of the photographingdevices 10 is provided with a plurality of the storage pockets P.Further, the number of photographing devices 10 may be changed asappropriate.

As shown in FIG. 2 , the casing 11 is a box-shaped casing provided onthe side of the hinge Z of the storage pocket P, and has a surface 111on the opposite side of the storage pocket P provided with aphotographing window 12. The photographing window 12 is a window havingtransparency. A heater (a condensation preventing heater in the claims)is provided in the casing 11 so as to prevent the transparent windowfrom being frosted. A heat insulating material is provided in the casing11 so as to prevent the heat from the anti-fog heater from beingtransmitted to the storage pocket P.

The camera body is disposed in the casing 11 so as to take an image ofthe exterior of the casing 11 through the photographing window 12.Specifically, the camera body captures a moving image using a wide-anglelens.

Here, an angle of view of the camera body described above will bedescribed with reference to FIG. 3 .

The relationship between an angle of view θθ of the camera body and adistance d between the camera body and a predetermined object surface tobe photographed in the refrigerator or inside of the door D of therefrigerator is expressed by the following equation.

d=(L/2)/tan(θθ/2)

Here, L is the width of the inside of the refrigerator, the height ofthe inside of the refrigerator, the width of the door D, or the heightof the door D.

Moreover, the object surface to be photographed set in the refrigeratoris a surface including a front end of a plurality of shelves provided inthe refrigerator and the object surface to be photographed set in thedoor D is a surface including a front end of a plurality of storagepockets provided in the door D, however, it may be set at a desiredposition as long as the object surface to be photographed is between thefront surface of the refrigerator and the back surface or inside therefrigerator of the door D.

The distance d between the object surface to be photographed and thecamera body set in the refrigerator or the door D changes depending onthe degree of opening of the door D, herein, the distance d between theobject surface to be photographed and the camera body set in therefrigerator or the door D is defined as the distance to the shorteststate. Further, the distance d may be defined, for example, in a statein which the camera body is faced to each object surface to bephotographed.

It is preferable that the angle of view of the camera body is set to beequal to or larger than the largest angle among the following anglesθθ1˜θθ4 calculated based on the above-described expression in order tomake it possible to capture images stored in the refrigerator withoutfail.

d1=(L1/2)/tan(θθ1/2)

d1=(L2/2)/tan(θθ2/2)

d2=(L3/2)/tan(θθ3/2)

d2=(L4/2)/tan(θθ4/2)

Here, d1 is a distance between the object surface to be photographed setin the refrigerator and the camera body, d2 is a distance between theobject surface to be photographed set in the door D and the camera body,L1 is a width of the inside of the refrigerator, L2 is a height of theinside of the refrigerator, L3 is a width of the door, and L4 is aheight of the door.

In the present disclosure, since the plurality of photographing devicesare provided in each door, the angle of view of the camera body is setso that at least a part of the respective object surfaces to bephotographed with respect to each camera body overlaps with each otherso that these respective object surfaces to be photographed include bothinside the refrigerator or inside the refrigerator.

Next, the driving device 20 will be described.

The driving device 20 outputs the power for opening and closing the doorD and transmits this power to the door D, specifically as shown in FIGS.4 and 5 , and the driving device 20 has a motor M for receiving thedrive signal from an information processing device 30 and rotatingforward or reverse and a power transmission device 40 for transmittingthe power of the motor M to the door D through the hinge axis Z. FIG. 4is a plan view of the driving device 20 from above, and FIG. 5 is a planview of the driving device 20 from below. Here, the motor M and thepower transmission device 40 are accommodated in a casing C as shown inFIG. 1 so as to prevent the appearance from deteriorating.

The power transmission device 40 is disposed between the motor M and thehinge axis Z and has a plurality of gears that rotate in conjunctionwith the motor M as shown in FIG. 4 .

More specifically, as shown in FIGS. 4 to 6 , the power transmissiondevice 40 includes a motor-side gear 41 that rotates in conjunction withthe motor M, a center gear 43 connected to the motor-side gear 41 and apair of idler gears 44 meshing with the center gear 43. Hereinafter, thepair of the idler gears 44 is defined as one idler gear 44 a and otherflow gear 44 b.

As shown in FIGS. 6 to 7 b, the power transmission device 40 of thepresent embodiment has a swing device 50 for moving the pair of theidler gears 44 along a plane perpendicular to the rotation axis of thecenter gear 43 with the center gear 43 as the center by the rotation ofthe center gear 43.

The swing device 50 includes a mounting member 51 which rotates aboutthe rotational axis of the center gear 43 and on which the idler gears44 a and 44 b are mounted, and a rotation load member 52 for applying aload to the rotation of each of the idler gears 44.

The mounting member 51 is provided with a plate member 511 on which boththe center gear 43 and the pair of the idler gears 44 are installed anda pair of mounting shafts of the pair of the idler gears 512 standingfrom the plate member 511 for mounting the idler gears 44 and a mountingshafts of the center gear 513 for mounting the center gear 43.

The rotation load member 52 generates a torque that applies a load tothe rotation of the idler gears 44 and pivots the pair of the idlergears 44 about the rotational axis of the center gear 43, and is anelastic member such as a spring that passes through the mounting shaftof the pair of the idler gears 512 and applies an upward force along therotating shaft to the idler gears 44.

In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6 , the rotation load member52 is passed through the mounting shaft of the pair of the idler gears512, the idler gears 44 is passed from above, and a pressure member 53pressing the idler gears 44 downward is passed from above, so that theupward force is applied to the idler gears 44.

The swing device 50 is configured so that the pair of the idler gears 44are arranged between a forward power transmission position such that oneof the idler gears 44 a is engaged with the door gear 42 (FIG. 7 a ) anda reverse power transmission position such that the other of the idlergears 44 b is engaged with the door gear 42 (FIG. 7 b ).

With the above-described configuration, as shown in FIG. 7 a , when thecenter gear 43 rotates in the forward direction being interlocking withthe rotation of the motor M (here, in the counterclockwise direction asviewed from above), the pair of the idler gears 44 rotate in thecounterclockwise direction about the rotation axis of the center gear 43so that one of the idler gears 44 a engages with the door gear 42. As aresult, the driving device 20 of the present embodiment becomes anautomatic opening mode in which the door D is automatically opened bythe power of the motor M.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 7 b , when the center gear 43rotates in the reverse direction being interlocked with the rotation ofthe motor M (here, clockwise from above) the pair of the idler gears 44rotate in the clockwise direction about the rotation axis of the centergear 43 so that the other of the idler gears 44 b engages with the doorgear 42. As a result, the driving device 20 of the present embodimentbecomes an automatic closing mode in which the door D is automaticallyclosed by the power of the motor M.

In the refrigerator R of the present embodiment, the above-describeddriving device 20 is configured to photograph the inside of therefrigerator with the door D opened.

More specifically, the refrigerator R of the present embodiment receivesa command from the outside to control the driving device 20 and thephotographing device 10, and also provided with the informationprocessing device 30 for processing the information photographed by thephotographing device 10.

The information processing device 30 is physically equipped with a CPU,a memory, an A/D converter, and the like built-in the door D or the caseH, as shown in FIG. 8 . CPU or the peripheral device cooperates with theCPU or the peripheral device according to the program stored in thepredetermined area of the memory so that the information processingdevice 30 functions as a photographing command receiver 31, a drivingdevice controller 32, a photographing device controller 33, aphotographing data processor 34, a photographing data saver 35, and aphotographing data transmission 36.

Hereinafter, the operation of the refrigerator R of the presentembodiment will be described in the description of each of theconfigurations 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, and 36 of the information processingdevice 30.

First, the photographing command receiver 31 receives a photographingcommand by a user using an image display device such as an input devicesuch as a touch panel provided in the refrigerator R or a portabledevice such as a mobile phone. The image display device may include aTV, a computer, a tablet PC, and the like. Hereinafter, a portabledevice will be described as an example.

When the photographing command receiver 31 receives the photographingcommand, the driving device controller 32 outputs a driving signal tocontrol the driving device 20 to the automatic opening mode, and, asshown in FIGS. 9 a to 9 d , the driving device 20 first opens one of theleft and right doors D to a predetermined angle.

Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, one of the doors D isreferred to as the left door D as viewed from the front.

Next, the driving device 20 opens the other door D of the right and leftdoors D, that is, the right door D to a predetermined angle.

At this time, the photographing device controller 33 outputs aphotographing start signal to the photographing device 10 installed onthe door D on the right side to photograph a continuous still picture orto shoot a video from the state in which the right door D is closed towhen the right door D is opened with the predetermined angle. Thus, thephotographing device 10 installed on the right door D may photograph atleast the storage pockets P of the doors D on the right and left sidesin the refrigerator.

Subsequently, the driving device 20 closes the left door D as shown inFIGS. 10 a to 10 d . At this time, the photographing device controller33 outputs a photographing start signal to the photographing device 10installed at the door D on the left side to photograph a continuousstill picture or to shoot a video from the state in which the left doorD is opened with the predetermined angle to when the left door D isclosed. Thus, the photographing device 10 installed on the left door Dmay photograph at least the storage pockets P of the doors D and theleft sides in the refrigerator.

The photographing device controller 33 of this embodiment outputs thephotographing start signal to all of the photographing devices 10installed in each of the doors D when photographing the inside of therefrigerator, and outputs the photographing start signal to thephotographing device 10 located at the uppermost position of the door Don the opposite side of the storage pocket P when photographing thestorage pocket P.

In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 11 , the photographingdevice 10 positioned at the upper end has at least a vertical viewingangle capable of photographing the upper half of the refrigerator, andthe photographing device 10 located at the lower end has at least avertical viewing angle capable of photographing the lower half of therefrigerator. If the photographing device 10 has a vertical viewingangle in which the entire upper and lower portions of the refrigerator,for example, it is possible to photograph the inside of the refrigeratorusing one of the photographing devices 10 located at the center of theupper and lower portions.

The photographing device 10 of the present embodiment has a horizontalviewing angle in which at least the whole length of the storage pocket Pin the left and right direction.

When the driving device 20 and the photographing device 10 cooperate totake photographs of the inside of the refrigerator and the storagepocket P, the photographing data processor 34 reads the photographingdata from the photographing device 10, and acquires image data or movingimage data.

The photographing data processor 34 may acquire the photographing dataafter the above-described process of photographing, or may sequentiallyacquire the photographing data during the above-described process ofphotographing.

The photographing data processor 34 selects an acquired optimalcontinuous still picture or an acquired optimal video (hereinafterreferred to as an optimal photograph).

More specifically, for example, in the refrigerator or on the inside ofthe refrigerator in the door D, an area index (not shown) indicating aphotographing target area to be photographed by the photographing device10 is provided in advance, and the photographing data processor 34selects the optimal photograph from the acquired continuous stillpicture or acquired video based on the area index.

The area index is provided at a predetermined position of the case H orthe door D in accordance with the viewing angle of the photographingdevice 10, and is a plurality of markers provided at corner portions onthe inner side of the refrigerator, and the like.

As a result, the photographing data processor 34 of the presentembodiment easily (with a small throughput) selects an image includingall of the area index or an image having the least deformation of eacharea index as the optimum photograph from the acquired continuous stillimage data or moving image data. The optimum photograph selection methodmay be changed as appropriate.

The photographing data processor 34 appropriately corrects the optimalphotograph according to a correction algorithm previously stored in thememory. For example, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 12 , theoptimal photograph is configured to correcting or trimming from wideangle lens distortion correction, trapezoid correction, or trimming. Forthe optimal photograph in the refrigerator, for example, the objectsurface of the wide-angle lens distortion correction or the trapezoidalcorrection is set on the surface including the front end of theplurality of shelves provided in the refrigerator, and for the optimalphotograph of the storage pocket P, the object surface of the wide-anglelens distortion correction or the trapezoidal correction is set to thesurfaces including the front surfaces of the respective storage pocketsP, so that the image of the stored object after correction may becorrected so as to similar to the outline from the user's point of viewas much as possible. In addition, the surface to be corrected mayappropriately change.

The photographing data processor 34 is configured to combine a pluralityof optimal photographs.

As shown in FIG. 12 , the photographing data processor 34 of the presentembodiment composes the optimal photograph of the left side in therefrigerator and the optimal photograph of the storage pockets P of theright door D taken by the photographing device 10 on the left door D,and the optimal photograph on the right side in the refrigerator and theoptimal photograph of the storage pockets P of the left door D taken bythe photographing device 10 on the right door D.

As a result, a photograph in which the left and right doors D are openedis generated as a composite photograph.

The photographing data saver 35 is set in a predetermined area of thememory and stores the optimal photograph obtained by the photographingdata processor 34. Further, in order to reduce the capacity of thememory, it doesn't matter that the optimal photograph stored in thephotographing data saver 35 may be configured to be overwritten.

As shown in FIG. 13 , the photographing data transmission 36 transmitsthe above-described optimal photograph or the composite photograph ofthe plurality of optimal photographs to the portable device such as auser's portable telephone.

The photographing data transmission 36 of this embodiment is configuredto transmit the optimal photograph or the composite photograph of theplurality of optimal photographs when the optimal photograph or thecomposite photograph of the plurality of optimal photographs isgenerated, however for example, the photographing data transmission 36of this embodiment is configured to transmit the latest optimalphotograph or the composite photograph of the plurality of optimalphotographs stored in advance in the photographing data saver 35 whenreceiving a command from the user. Further, the latest optimalphotograph or the composite photograph of the plurality of optimalphotographs may be an image obtained when the door D is opened latest.

In the refrigerator R according to this embodiment configured asdescribed above, since the photographing device 10 photographs theinside of the refrigerator while the door D is automatically opened bythe driving device 20, a distance between the photographing device 10and the refrigerator may be kept longer than the that of when the door Dis closed. As a result, the photographing range is widened, so that evenif the stored object is placed in front of the refrigerator, the storedobject is within the entire photographing range, and other objects maybe taken. As a result, the stored objects in the refrigerator may beclearly photographed, and the stored state in the refrigerator may beconfirmed even in a remote place.

Since the storage pocket P of the door D is photographed by the drivingdevice 20 with the door D automatically opened, even if the user is farfrom the refrigerator R, the storage pocket P may be photographed.

As a configuration for photographing the storage pocket even if the useris far away from the refrigerator, it is conceivable to adopt aconfiguration in which the photographing device is provided inside therefrigerator and the storage pocket is photographed by the photographingdevice in a state in which the door D is closed.

However, in the above-described configuration, when the distance betweenthe photographing device and the storage pocket is relatively close, alarge number of photographing devices are required to photograph all ofthe plurality of storage pockets installed at the upper and lower sides.

On the other hand, in the refrigerator R according to the presentembodiment, since the storage pocket P of each of the doors D isphotographed with the left and right doors D opened by the drivingdevice 20, the plurality of storage pockets P may be photographed by thephotographing device 10 which is smaller than the above-describedconfiguration.

In addition, the information processing device 30 selects the optimalphotograph from the continuous still picture or the video, and transmitsthe corrected or composed optimal photograph to the outside, so thatuser may easily check the storage state of the refrigerator R even inthe place where the user goes out.

The user confirms an optimal photograph through the portable device orthe like, and the user may additionally desire an image photographed ata different angle. At this time, the user may send a signal to theinformation processing device 30 through a portable device or the liketo receive the photographed image at an angle different from the optimalphotograph.

In detail, the user may send a photographing command signal from anotherangle to the information processing device 30 through the portabledevice. The photographing command receiver 31 of the informationprocessing device 30 receives the additional photographing command sentby the user and may drive the driving device 20 through the drivingdevice controller 32.

In order to obtain the optimal photograph, the driving device 20 opensthe door D at the predetermined angle, and the driving device controller32 may rotate the door D at an angle larger or smaller than thepredetermined angle for photographing at a different angle.

Thereafter, the photographing device controller 33 drives thephotographing device 10 so that the photographing device 10 mayphotograph the inside of the refrigerator or the storage pocket P of thedoor D at the predetermined angle.

The image photographed at an angle outside the predetermined angle maybe transmitted to the portable device or the like of the user againthrough the same process as described above, and the user may confirmthe optimal photograph outside the portable device or the like.

In addition, the information processing device 30 allows the user tospecify the angle desired by the user, rather than a predeterminedangle, to allow the driving device 20 to open the door D at an angledesired by the user, and the photographing device 10 may be provided soas to photograph the storage pocket P in the refrigerator or the door Dat the opening angle of the door D desired by the user.

That is, the user may input the opening angle of the door D desired bythe user to the portable device or the like, and the input signal may bereceived by the photographing command receiver 31 of the informationprocessing device 30.

Thereafter, the driving device controller 32 may drive the drivingdevice 20 to open the door D by the angle designated by the user and thephotographing device controller 33 may control the opening and closingof the door D, and the photographing device 10 may be driven to obtainthe photograph at the angle designated by the user.

The photographed image at the angle designated by the user may betransmitted to the portable device or the like of the user again throughthe same process as described above and the user may confirm thephotograph that is not the optimal photograph through the portableterminal or the like.

Second Embodiment

Hereinafter, a second embodiment of the refrigerator according to thepresent invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 14 , a refrigerator R according to the presentembodiment includes a refrigerator main body H (hereinafter, alsoreferred to as a case H) having a front face opened and at least onedoor D provided at the opening of the case H, and each of the doors D isrotatably supported on a hinge axis of a hinge Z that is so-calledone-door refrigerator.

As shown in FIG. 14 , the refrigerator R is provided with aphotographing device 10 installed inside the refrigerator of the door Dand a driving device 20 installed at the top of the door D forautomatically opening and closing the door D. The photographing device10 and the driving device 20 are the same as those in the firstembodiment, and a description thereof will be omitted.

The refrigerator R of the present embodiment further includes a secondphotographing device 60 installed in the refrigerator and the drivingdevice 20 opens the door D so that the second photographing device 60 isconfigured to photograph a storage pocket P of the door D.

The second photographing device 60 is provided on the side (handle side)opposite to the hinge Z of the door D in the refrigerator. The specificconfiguration is the same as that of the photographing device 10described above.

Hereinafter, the operation of the refrigerator R of the presentembodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 15 a to 15 d.

First, the second photographing device 60 photographs the storage pocketP while the driving device 20 opens the door D in a closed state to afirst predetermined angle.

Next, the photographing device 10 photographs the inside of therefrigerator while the driving device 20 further opens the door D at thefirst predetermined angle and moves it to a second predetermined angle.

Then, the driving device 20 closes the door D.

According to the refrigerator R of this embodiment configured asdescribed above, the photographing device 10 photographs the inside ofthe refrigerator in a state in which the door D is automatically openedby the driving device 20 as in the first embodiment, and the secondphotographing device 60 is installed in the refrigerator, so that thestorage pocket P may be photographed by the second photographing device60 even the refrigerator R is one-door refrigerator.

Also, the present invention is not limited to the above-describedembodiments.

The photographing device 10 is provided in the storage pocket P in eachof the above embodiments, as shown in FIG. 16 , and the photographingdevice 10 may be provided on the side of the hinge Z in a throat sectionD1 in which the storage pocket P is mounted.

Although the photographing device 10 of the above-described embodimentis configured to photograph a moving image, it may be configured tocontinuously photograph a plurality of images.

Also in the first embodiment, when the inside of the refrigerator andthe storage pocket P are photographed by the photographing device 10,one of the doors D is opened and then the other door D is opened,however, the inside of the refrigerator and the storage pocket P may bephotographed by the photographing device 10 installed in each of thedoors D while simultaneously opening the doors D.

Further, in a refrigerator having a relatively small height called aFrench door type, it is judged from a viewing angle (θθ) of the cameraand a distance d between the camera body and the object surface bodycalculated on the basis of the relational expression described in thefirst embodiment, so that the number of photographing apparatusesinstalled on the door may be one.

In addition, some or all of configurations 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, and 36 ofthe information processing device 30 of the first embodiment may beprovided in a system, for example a server, located outside therefrigerator, and a management system for the refrigerator may beestablished by using the system and the refrigerator R.

In addition, some or all of the configurations 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, and36 of the information processing device 30 of the first embodiment maybe provided in a portable device, and the management system for therefrigerator may be established by using the portable device and therefrigerator R.

Moreover, some or all of the configurations 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, and 36of the information processing device 30 of the first embodiment may beprovided in the portable device and the system, and the managementsystem for the refrigerator may be established by using the system, theportable device, and the refrigerator R.

The information processing device includes, for example, a displayportion for displaying a photograph on a display mounted on therefrigerator or a user's portable telephone, and the display portion isconfigured to display a link or the like to be connected to deliveryservices automatically.

With such a configuration, the user may confirm a deficient object whileviewing the photograph, smoothly purchase the deficient object, andassist the user in managing the inventory.

The information processing device may be configured so as to recognize astored object by using the image recognition process from thephotographed image.

Further, when the information processing device recognizes that it isstored and, for example, if the number of items previously selected isless than the required number, the information processing deviceautomatically orders the required object from the delivery services orthe like through a communication line such as a telephone line or theInternet.

Further, an ordering company, for example the delivery services, may beselected from a plurality of ordering companies previously authorized bythe user, or may be limited to one ordering company designated by theuser.

In the case where the deficient object is automatically ordered, theinformation processing device may automatically select the orderingcompany of the lowest ordering order or the shortest delivery date outof the plurality of ordering companies, or may select the orderingcompany based on the priority set in advance by the user.

When the deficient object is recognized, the information processingdevice notifies the user of the deficient object by e-mail, message,voice, video, etc. through the display mounted on the refrigerator orthe cellular phone, and it is also possible to automatically order thedeficient object.

The above-described various functions are not limited to theconfiguration in which the information processing device mounted in therefrigerator is used, and some or all of the functions may be connectedto a remote server connected to the information processing device via acommunication network such as the Internet, or it may be provided on thecell phone.

It is needless to say that the present invention is not limited to theabove embodiments, and that various modifications are possible withoutdeparting from the spirit of the present invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A refrigerator comprising: a body including achamber; a first camera configured to capture a first image of thechamber; a second camera configured to capture a second image of thechamber; and at least one processor configured to: control the firstcamera and the second camera to capture the first image and the secondimage, respectively, combine the first image and the second image,automatically recognize a deficient object and a stored object by usingan image recognition process from the combined image, and send, via acommunication network, information associated with the deficient objectto a user device.
 2. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein theinformation associated with the deficient object comprises a link for astore for placing an order of the deficient object.
 3. The refrigeratorof claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured tosend, via the communication network, the combined image to the userdevice.
 4. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the at least oneprocessor is configured to send the information associated with thedeficient object to the user device via a message.
 5. The refrigeratorof claim 4, wherein the message comprises at least one audio or image.6. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor isconfigured to send the information associated with the deficient objectto the user device via an e-mail.
 7. The refrigerator of claim 1,further comprising: a door configured to open and close the chamber; anda driver configured to rotate the door to open and close the chamber;wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: control thedriver to open the door, and while the door is open, control the firstcamera and the second camera to capture the first image and the secondimage, respectively.
 8. The refrigerator of claim 7, wherein the atleast one processor is further configured to: based on completelyopening the door, control the first camera and the second camera tocapture the first image and the second image, respectively.
 9. Therefrigerator of claim 7, wherein the at least one processor is furtherconfigured to: based on the door being opened with a predeterminedangle, control the first camera and the second camera to capture thefirst image and the second image, respectively.
 10. The refrigerator ofclaim 7, further comprising: a communication interface is configured toreceive a photographing command from the user device, wherein the atleast one processor is further configured to: in response to receivingthe photographing command through the communication interface, controlthe driver to open the door.
 11. The refrigerator of claim 1, whereinthe first camera is disposed inside the chamber and the second camera isdisposed on a door.
 12. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the atleast one processor is further configured to correct a captured imageaccording to wide angle lens distortion correction or trapezoidcorrection.
 13. A method of controlling a refrigerator comprising:capturing, by a first camera, a first image of a chamber and capturing,by a second camera, a second image of the chamber, respectively;combining the first image and the second image; automaticallyrecognizing a deficient object and a stored object by using an imagerecognition process from the combined image; and sending, through acommunication network, information associated with the deficient objectto a user device.
 14. The method of claim 13, further comprising sendingthe combined image to the user device.
 15. The method of claim 13,wherein the sending the information associated with the deficient objectto the user device comprises: sending a message including theinformation associated with the deficient object to the user device. 16.The method of claim 13, wherein the sending the information associatedwith the deficient object to the user device comprises: sending ane-mail including the information associated with the deficient object tothe user device.
 17. The method of claim 13, further comprising:controlling a driver to open a door of the chamber, wherein thecapturing the first image and the second image comprises while the dooris open, capturing the first image and the second image by the firstcamera and the second camera, respectively.
 18. The method of claim 17,wherein the capturing the first image and the second image comprises:based on completely opening the door, capturing the first image and thesecond image by the first camera and the second camera, respectively.19. The method of claim 17, wherein the capturing the first image andthe second image comprises: based on the door being opened with apredetermined angle, capturing the first image and the second image bythe first camera and the second camera, respectively.
 20. The method ofclaim 17, wherein the controlling the driver to open the door of thechamber comprises: receiving a photographing command from the userdevice, and in response to receiving the photographing command throughthe communication network, controlling the driver to open the door.